My Grandfather's Soul left his body three weeks ago. I am both
blessed and stricken to say that he was the only family member I have
known personally to pass from this world. He was a wonderful
Grandfather to me, an amazing Father to my mother, a truly
Great-Grandfather to my son, and a devoted husband to my Grandmother.
When we went to the funeral home to say our goodbyes to the vessel that
carried his soul for 78 years, and my son wanted to see his body, he
thought it was like our snake shedding his skin. He was very clear
throughout those few days to remind us that it was not "Pop" we were
burying or looking in at -- it was "Pop's body." I feel I have much
more to learn from my son than he has to learn from me. But still my
family standing there must all in our own way release the attachments we
have to the flesh we have known as a man and the strings that tie us to
our bodies and thus to his. So, I watched my mom crying at the loss of
her father, the man who held her as a child, who offered my father her
hand, who held her children and her grandchildren as well. I watched my
Grandmother, Nanny, his wife of 56 years, his greatest love, committing
herself to the last sight of the body of the man she loved. Still in
his pocket was the first love note she wrote him, that he carried all
those years. I felt the tears of my wife, of my sister, of my entire
family, and I sincerely wondered if things would be okay. I started to
pray, as I stood by the hearse, waiting to receive my Grandfather's
body. I looked out on the land around me and saw the way everything
continued to move. It all appeared clear.

I prayed for some kind
of sign, I figured the birds would give me a sign that Pop was okay and
that my family would be okay. Then at some point I realized I was
praying for the wrong thing. It is unnecessary to pray for signs, we
are continually given signs (you are reading one right now), what seemed
more worthy was to pray for the ability, the bravery, and the sight to
witness the signs that I was offered. So I let go, I had Faith, I
didn't need a sign, I felt my Soul and I felt my Heart. I felt my
Grandfather there within my Heart, he loved me so much he will always be
there.

His funeral was beautiful and challenging, it was amazing
to stand with my family but also so difficult to see them grieve. My
Uncle shared beautiful words and feelings about his best friend and
father, I felt sincerely how much my Grandfather cared for us, his
Family.

Then, as we left the funeral, my cousin tapped me on the
shoulder and said "David look…" pointing up. Right over our heads was a
Juvenile Red-Tail Hawk in the middle of his molt (this is the most
challenging time in their life when they must devote massive amounts of
energy to growing new feathers, a period of growth and renewal, a period
of rebirth). The hawk followed us, and as me and 7 of my cousins put
his body back into the hearse to take it on its final trip to the
cemetery, it circled perfectly above us. It stayed in sight circling
higher and higher until we left to go to the cemetery. Sight, and a man
humbled and undeserving of such a gift, yet granted, not for me but for
my Grandfather. The Perfect Gift.

We are given Life and we are
given Death, this is what we agree to when we become human. We are also
given Hearts, Hearts that flow with the Blood of the Divine, Blood that
is Eternal. I feel the Divinity that is within my Heart and I feel it
within all my Brother's and Sister's Hearts, my Grandfather resides in
that place. If you would like to find him, just ask for John or Jack
Hayden, he will answer to either, and he will tell you some great
stories, and I guarantee he will make you laugh.

The marks I make
on paper and skin may seem important to you, but they are nothing
compared to the marks we make on our fellow beings' Hearts. My
Grandfather did not make art, but he made a beautiful family, and
without that I could not make the art I do, so please look beyond my
hands when you look at my work, they are moved by so much Greater than
I.

I gave this piece to a man who 2 month ago flew my Grandfather
(a man he never met) on his private jet from Louisville, KY to Atlanta,
GA so he could spend the day with his Great-Grandchildren. My
Grandfather made me cry with laughter 2 times that day, it truly was a
"Perfect Gift," a gift from God that came through a man who in that
moment was an Angel.

"Every
generous act of giving, with every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the
Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to
change." James 1:17